Consequences
by Dorkfish
Summary: What if Kurama was fighting another during his game with Kaito? A different view on two souls inhabiting one body. Posted with original author's consent.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own _Yu Yu Hakusho_. 

Also, this story cuts into the anime storyline mid-way through episode 69, just before the conclusion of Kurama's and Kaito's game. 

**Chapter 1**

Kaito looked around, desperately searching the surrounding area for any sign of his opponent. The lush jungle of tropical flora around him seemed to sway slightly in a nonexistent breeze, mocking him. Behind Kaito, in a small clearing, there was a table with two chairs placed opposite each other. Lying on the table was a piece of paper, which contained each letter of the alphabet in a neat, orderly script. All but the first five letters were crossed off. Another paper, hanging on the door of the room, explained the rules of the game that was being played. 

_"Follow the rule, both host and guest. Don't utter a letter crossed off from the list. Each 104 seconds, note too, another letter becomes taboo."_

Behind one of the chairs stood three soulless bodies-- a grim reminder of the consequences of uttering something that's taboo. 

From his perch upon the chandelier hanging above the table, Kurama watched Kaito. He was biding his time, calmly waiting for an opportune moment, as Kaito's anxiety grew. Glancing back at the table, Kurama saw 'C' being crossed off of the list. Only two more letters left. _It's time_, Kurama thought. He was confident in his ability to beat Kaito at his own game. Unfortunately, Kaito wasn't his only opponent. 

Kurama shifted his precarious position atop the chandelier and began lowering himself so he would be hanging upside-down behind Kaito. Without warning, Youko assaulted Suuichi mentally, testing the barriers that kept him confined within the depths of Kurama's personality. 

Such mental battles were common, for there were two souls residing within Kurama's body-- the human, Suuichi, and the demon, Youko. Neither had complete control over the body and, as a result, a persona was created drawing characteristics from both entities. This persona was known as Kurama, who had more human characteristics, as Suuichi had always been the dominant soul. Youko had been powerless to change this and had become resigned to lurking within the depths of the mind until the conclusion of the Dark Tournament. At that time, Kurama had received a potion that allowed him to transform into Youko's body, switching the roles of Youko and Suuichi. For a short while, Youko became the dominant soul; but, as with Suuichi, it was not complete dominance. Kurama remained in control of the body, but gained more demon characteristics while he was in the demon form. Youko did have more influence over Kurama's actions, but the potion was such that it only allowed him dominance for a short time. However, after Kurama drank the entire potion, enough of Youko's demonic power was retained to allow a transformation to occur at will, with no time limit. 

This meant that Youko could come out whenever Suuichi allowed him to, or he overpowered his human counterpart. Suuichi had yet to let him out willingly since the tournament and the human was all but impossible to overpower. Youko believed this to be because the body was originally his, which gave the ningen innate advantages. But Youko was persistent and fought for dominance whenever the opportunity presented itself. Unfortunately, this opportunity came whenever Suuichi was otherwise distracted. 

Having his attention focused on Kaito and their game, Suuichi was unprepared for Youko's attack. Kurama could not participate in the mental conflict; but, as he was a combination of Youko and Suuichi, he was connected to them both. He felt Youko's determination to win the battle, but he could also feel Suuichi's pain caused from Youko's assault. Thus distracted, Kurama lost his precarious balance on the chandelier and fell to the floor. Kaito turned when he heard the impact, his eyes widening in surprise, but he made no sound. He stared at Kurama, his surprise turning to confusion. The red haired teen was lying on his side, hands clutching his head. Kaito would have assumed that Kurama had hit his head, except for the fact that his facial expressions suggested otherwise. First, he would seem to flinch, as if he'd been hit, his face clearly showing pain and more than a little worry. Then his expression would change completely, becoming cold and displaying fierce determination to not lose. At these times, his eyes would almost seem to turn amber. He didn't seem to be aware of anything around him. 

Within his mind, Suuichi was desperately trying to stave off Youko's mental barrage. The first attack had been a test, but since it caught Suuichi completely off-guard, it had easily broken through his normal barriers. Youko pressed his advantage, knowing this was the closest he had ever come to winning one of their mental battles. 

Suuichi's mind painfully throbbed from the attacks, but he knew Youko was feeling the same. He'd managed to keep Youko from overpowering him completely and only needed to last a bit longer. These battles were tiring for both of them, and each knew it wouldn't last much longer. 

Youko paused in his assault, gathering his energy for one last attack. He knew this was the last chance he'd get in a long time and wasn't about to let this opportunity pass him by. Suuichi, familiar with Youko's tactics, steeled himself for the last blow. He knew this one would be the worst, but if he could withstand it, the battle would be over and he would be victorious once again. He readied himself for the final attack. 

Unfortunately, Suuichi had forgotten that his normal barriers had been destroyed in the first barrage and were no longer there to help shield him from the brunt of Youko's strike. On top of that, this assault came also from Youko's desperation and the fact that he was closer than he had ever been to freedom. As such, Suuichi was again unprepared for the severity of Youko's attack. It was like a whip had lashed out across his mind, causing him to involuntarily cry out in pain. This was fatal because, as he was still the dominant soul, his mental scream was echoed by his vocal cords. 

Kaito jumped back in surprise as Kurama screamed. His fear and confusion quickly turned to elation as Kurama's body was consumed in blue fire. The game was still in progress and Kurama had voiced a taboo sound. Kaito smiled as Suuichi's soul rushed from his body to rest just above Kaito's outstretched hand. It was a deep, emerald green. Kaito had no more time to study it, as movement drew his attention back to the body on the ground in front of him. Confusion and fear shown clearly upon his features as he watched Suuichi's body begin to change. 

Suuichi's bright red hair faded to a vibrant silver, doubling in length. Two large, fox-like ears emerged from under his hair, covered in the same colored fur. His clothes changed from the magenta colored school uniform to a loose, flowing tunic and pants with a sash about his waist, all pale white in color. His eyes, closed before in pain, opened to reveal they had changed color as well-- from a deep green to an almost glowing amber. 

Kaito watched, spellbound, as what was supposed to be Suuichi's soulless body stood, towering over Kaito. The teenager also noticed a bushy tail, silver in color, as it flicked to the side. 

Youko stretched, relishing his new-found freedom. Since Suuichi was no longer in the body, he had been able to take complete control, leaving Kurama to be the one to sit in the darkness of the mind for a change. Youko found it odd that he felt no resistance from Kurama. _What's wrong? Are you too weak to even **try** to take control from me?_ he asked, mentally sneering. 

_I cannot. You are part of me, so fighting you would be fighting against myself,_ came the simple reply. 

Youko smiled, thinking back to some of the not-so-nice things done by Kurama. _That's right, I am a part of you, aren't I?_ Youko paused, considering something. _If Suuichi is gone, why are you still here?_

There was a pause before Kurama answered. _I'm not sure. Originally, I was a partial merger between yours and Suuichi's souls. Suuichi's soul has grown and changed these past fifteen years as he grew older, whereas yours has remained the same. Half of me growing and changing while the other half remained the same-- this must have caused me to grow a little differently than Suuichi, such that I remain when he is gone. However, I still feel the loss of his soul. I feel... empty,_ Kurama answered, a little melancholy. 

_I suggest you get used to that feeling. I will make sure that Suuichi will never enter this body again,_ Youko replied, ignoring the sorrow that thought brought. He assumed the emotion to be coming from Kurama. 

_I am well aware of your feelings for Suuichi-- both good and bad,_ Kurama replied. 

_Are you trying to say that I care about the ningen? Foolish boy. You should know me better than that,_ Youko retorted. 

_I do._

Not liking where this conversation was going, Youko turned his attention back to the gawking human in front of him. /I thank you for assisting me in freeing myself,/ he said telepathically. 

Kaito jumped upon hearing Youko's voice inside his head. Youko smiled, allowing his sharp fangs to show. /I'll even let you live, provided you keep Suuichi's soul contained. Otherwise, there will be some rather... dire consequences,/ he continued, drawing Kaito's attention to his claws as he flexed them menacingly. Kaito could only nod his head. He was still in shock from witnessing his high school rival turn into this _thing_. 

Youko smiled again, satisfied that he had cowed this human enough to where he wouldn't dare go against the demon's wishes. Faster than Kaito's eye could follow, Youko left, quickly and silently moving through the plants to the door. Kaito vaguely registered hearing the door close about the same time he saw Youko vanish. He didn't notice the plants withdrawing back to their pots or see 'A' being crossed out on the paper, signifying the game's conclusion. He just stood there, his mind desperately trying to make sense of what had just happened. 

Meanwhile, Youko wasted no time leaving the immediate vicinity. He didn't have to worry about the Reikai-Tantai hunting him, as all of its current members were either captured or out of commission. However, that didn't mean Koenma wouldn't be sending people after him. The thief didn't plan to make it easy for them to find him. 

Youko was finally back. And he planned on staying. 

~*~ 

A man, dressed in black, looked up as he felt a familiar surge of energy. He was wearing a hat that was pulled low, but didn't quite cover the long scar running through his eye and down the left side of his face. A long, thin leaf hung around his neck, the light green standing out against his dark shirt. He smiled as he recognized the energy, allowing his inhuman fangs to show while his bushy brown tail twitched in anticipation, momentarily flicking out from underneath the trench coat that concealed it. "Youko Kurama," he whispered, gleefully, twirling the leaf in his fingers. The energy had faded once again, making it difficult to locate, but the wolf demon did not mind. This was the closest he'd come to locating Youko in seventeen years. There was no way the kitsune would walk away from their encounter this time. 

**To Be Continued**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own _Yu Yu Hakusho_. 

**Chapter 2**

The plants had retreated, leaving no mark of their passing. The chairs and table remained undisturbed, although the paper was now blank, its letters having faded with the conclusion of the game. Three soulless bodies still stood on one side of the table, their souls lined up on the other side, as if mocking them. 

Kaito, a deep emerald green soul resting above his outstretched hand, stood staring blankly in front of him. He didn't move when Yana came up behind him. 

"Four souls? I guess that means you defeated them, huh? But... where's the fourth body? Suuichi's body, I believe." He paused, waiting for Kaito to reply. Nothing. 

"Kaito?" Yana walked around in front of Kaito. He waved a hand in front of Kaito's face. He didn't so much as flinch. 

Yana took out a cell phone, dialed a number, then put it to his ear. 

"Master Genkai? I think we might have a problem." 

~*~ 

Two hours later, Genkai had managed to find out what had taken place earlier. Although Kaito had no clue what those events meant, Genkai had realized immediately what had happened. She gave Kaito instructions to replace the souls in their respective bodies and then bring everyone to the third floor where Yuusuke was being held by Kiddo. As Suuichi's body was not here, nor soulless, Kaito was to keep Suuichi's soul in his possession for the time being. They weren't sure what would happen if it were to be released and Genkai didn't want to risk losing him. Genkai herself went up to keep Yuusuke from killing Kiddo when he was freed. 

Kaito directed Hiei's, Botan's, and Kuwabara's souls all back to their bodies, keeping Suuichi's soul safely in his hand. Genkai had given him strict instructions that no harm was to come to that soul. Kaito didn't want to think of her punishment, should he fail in this task. 

Hiei was the first to come to his senses. He looked around, getting his bearings and assessing the situation. Botan, however, was the first to speak. 

"What happened?" she asked. 

Kaito, having somewhat recovered from his encounter with Youko earlier, answered her. "You all spoke the taboo word, thus your souls were removed from your bodies." 

"Then why are we all standing here, now?" This question was posed, somewhat sarcastically, by Hiei. 

"The game is over. While I did not lose, my master requested your souls be returned to your bodies. There have been... complications and I was instructed to bring you to the third floor, where your friend is being held," Kaito explained, turning to go. 

The others began to follow until Kuwabara realized something. "Hey, guys, where's Kurama?" 

Hiei was cognizant of Kurama's absence, but hadn't thought anything of it. The kitsune was more than able to take care of himself, after all. 

It was Botan who noticed the soul still hovering above Kaito's hand. _Didn't Kaito just say he didn't lose the game?_ "Kaito-- whose soul is that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. Hiei's head jerked up at her words. 

Kaito looked back at them, a bored expression on his face. "If you must know, it's Suuichi's." 

"Where's his body? Both Hiei's and Kuwabara's bodies stayed here when they said 'hot'-- oops!" Botan covered her mouth, her eyes widening. _Not again!_ she thought, waiting for her soul to be captured. 

Kaito smirked. "I changed the taboo word. It's quite safe to say 'hot,'" he explained. 

"What did you do with the kitsune's body?" Hiei's cold voice demanded. 

Kaito turned to look down at the diminutive fighter. Hiei looked as if he were ready to pounce and beat the information out of the teenager. Kaito smirked, superiorly. "How should I know? I never touched his body," he said, again walking toward the door that led to the upper levels. 

A shield flared to life behind him, with a resounding _**thump**_ as a body was thrown back, connecting with the wall. Looking over his shoulder, Kaito saw Hiei glaring up at him from his place on the floor. "My, you have a short memory. You're still in my territory. No violence is permitted in here. Now, if you are done wasting time, I believe your questions will be answered by my master, who's waiting for you on the third floor." 

The group, albeit somewhat reluctantly, fell into step behind Kaito, wary of any more traps. 

~*~ 

They encountered no more traps, but were very surprised when they reached the third floor. 

"Genkai?!" Botan and Kuwabara both chorused in disbelief. Who would've thought that she was involved in this? 

Yuusuke looked up as they came in. "Hey, guys! Wait-- where's Kurama?" he asked, looking around to make sure he hadn't missed the redhead. 

"That's what we would like to know," Hiei replied, looking pointedly at Genkai. 

The old woman looked at each of them in turn before addressing them as a group. "You may be wondering what's going on here. In short, this was a test of sorts, which you all failed-- miserably, I might add. Yes, Yuusuke, that includes you," she added, before he could phrase the question. 

"Oh, come on. I never would have been captured if I'd known what kind of lame-o power he had," Yuusuke said, waving it off. 

"Are you stupid enough to think an enemy will give away that kind of information?!" Genkai practically yelled. Her student could be so dense sometimes. Seeing she had his attention, she continued in a normal voice. "If you get captured, you're as good as dead. If you remember nothing else, remember that!" 

"Don't avoid the question by changing the subject. Everyone else's souls were returned, why not Kurama's? And where is his body, for that matter?" Hiei asked, neglecting to mention that he was part of the group to have their souls returned. 

Genkai turned her attention to the fire demon. "Something went wrong in the first test. While I expected everyone to lose their soul except Kurama, I didn't realize he would be fighting two battles at the same time." 

"Two battles? But I thought you couldn't fight in that dude's territory," Kuwabara said, pointing at Kaito. 

"Not physically, no. However, Kurama and Kaito were engaged in a battle of wits," Genkai clarified for Kuwabara. 

"But that's still only one battle," Yuusuke pointed out. 

"Yes, and there was no one else in the room, except him," Botan said, pointing at Yana. "Was he the other person Kurama was fighting? That's no fair, ganging up on Kurama like that!" she said, scolding Kaito and Yana. 

"No, Botan, they didn't gang up on him. The second was a battle of wills, waged between the two halves of Kurama's personality," Genkai explained. 

"Two halves of his personality?" Kuwabara echoed, confused. 

"Yes. Two souls reside in Kurama's body, each making up half of his personality. One soul is that of Suuichi and the other is Youko Kurama. I believe that normally the souls balance each other out, with neither having complete dominance over the other. The end result is the Kurama that each of you know. From what Kaito said happened, it sounds as if Suuichi and Youko were battling for dominance. Suuichi was winning, but he made a taboo sound. His soul was captured and removed from his body, as per the rules in Kaito's territory. After that, Kaito said that Suuichi's body changed to that of Youko. I'm not sure what he said exactly, but he does not want Suuichi's soul back in the body. He finally got his demon form back, and I believe he wants to pick up and continue his old life where he left off." 

**To Be Contunied**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own _Yu Yu Hakusho_. 

Just a note on the psychics powers, for everyone who's not familiar with the anime: 

Kaito: Can set up a 'territory' of approximately ten yards around himself. No violence can be preformed within it and if someone says a word or sound that is taboo, his or her soul becomes part of his territory. 

Yanagisawa (Yana): Can copy anyone he touches. 

Kiddo: Can hold someone captive by stepping on his or her shadow. It is as immobilizing as a straight jacket. 

**Chapter 3**

Youko traveled halfway across the city before stopping in a park to decide where to go from there. He concealed himself in a tree to keep any annoying humans from bothering him. He couldn't return to Makai just yet-- that's where Koenma would expect him to go and would look for him first. Now, granted, he could easily escape detection, but he didn't know how much had changed in the past fifteen years. He knew for a fact that some of his hideouts had been found, but he didn't know which ones. He also didn't know if anyone had taken up residence in his absence. Of course, he could easily take care of them, but that would be a problem if time were of the essence. No, it was better to lay low in Ningenkai for a while before returning to Makai. After all, if Hiei could do it, how hard could it be? 

Now that the initial elation of being free of Suuichi had worn off, Youko's fatigue was surfacing. Mental battles with Suuichi always left him exhausted. Although he'd never admit it, Suuichi's indomitable will was a force to be reckoned with. No one person could mentally overpower the ningen. Youko had learned that the hard way. 

Closing his eyes, the demon allowed his senses to extend to the plants around him, listening. There were a few small animals nearby, asleep, but that was all. Determining he could afford to allow himself to relax for a little while, he shifted into a more comfortable position and fell into a light doze. 

~*~ 

Agreeing it would be better to split up and search for Youko with two teams, Genkai, Kiddo, Yana and Kaito formed one team while the rest of the Reikai-Tantai formed the second group. Botan went back to Spirit World to report to Koenma and see what he wanted them to do about the current situation. 

After splitting up with Yuusuke's team, Genkai thought back over everything she knew about kitsune in general and about Youko specifically. _If the kitsune could have overpowered Suuichi by himself, he would have done so long before now. A mental battle would have been very tiring and Youko would probably want to go somewhere he could rest. The fox would need a place with relatively few humans, but somewhere he could protect himself. The only place I can think of would be the park,_ Genkai concluded. Armed with flashlights, her group headed towards the park. 

As they neared their destination, Genkai could feel a strong demonic aura, confirming her suspicions. After locating the area where the energy was the strongest, Genkai explained her plan to the three psychics and they got into position. Raising her spirit energy, she called out a challenge. "Youko Kurama! Come out and face me!" 

Youko woke upon feeling a high level of energy so close to him and smiled in amusement at the challenge. _What foolish mortal dares to challenge me?_ he wondered, inhaling deeply through his nose. _Ah, the old woman and three others-- one of whom is still holding Suuichi's soul. They are fools to challenge me,_ he thought. Obligingly, he jumped out of his hiding place, landing in front of Genkai. 

Immediately, Genkai shined her flashlight on the kitsune, casting a long shadow on the ground behind him. Youko smiled as he heard someone running up behind him. 

"So, you think to attack me from behind?" he asked, casually. His eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in anger as he found he couldn't move his arm. In fact, he couldn't move any part of his body. 

Genkai, seeing Youko was immobilized, gestured to Yana. At Genkai's signal, he stepped forward while Kaito got ready, as well. Youko was very clever and Kiddo had never held a demon captive before, so Genkai wanted Yana to copy the kitsune in case anything went wrong. 

Youko watched, his anger rising at his inability to do anything as the ningen approached from the side. The demon fox noticed the human was careful to stay out of the light. A growl rose in his throat as the teenager reached out a hand to touch him. As the ningen's fingers made contact with Youko's skin, the kitsune felt something being drawn from him. He tried to jerk away, but couldn't manage to so much as twitch. The sensation wasn't painful, but it wasn't pleasant, either. It was almost as if part of _himself_ was being drained away. 

Youko had become immobilized after Genkai had turned on the flashlight, so it stood to reason that getting rid of the light would allow him to move again. _You may have restricted my body, but you forgot about my spirit energy!_ he thought, glaring at the source of the light. 

Genkai jumped back in surprise as the blades of grass at her feet shot upward like spikes, almost skewering her. The flashlight wasn't so lucky; four sharpened blades rendered it useless and extinguished its light. 

Finding he could move again, Youko hit Yana, sending him to the ground a few feet away. He then pulled a seed from his hair, growing it into a rose and jumped towards Kiddo. "You should know better than to try to attack me from behind," he said, changing the rose into a whip. Flicking it forward, he watched as Kiddo's eyes widened in fear. At the last minute, the grass at Kiddo's feet sprang up, creating a barrier and saving the ningen teen. 

Youko's eyes widened slightly in surprise as he also noticed one of the ningen's scent had changed. It was the human that had touched him-- his scent had become very faint, almost to the point of being undetectable. His scent was being overridden by a demon's scent-- a fox demon, to be precise. _That must be who interfered,_ Youko thought, turning towards the demon. He stared, confused. 

Youko was facing... himself. _No,_ he thought, _That is merely a copy of myself. He still smells faintly of the ningen._ "So, you can copy other creatures after touching them. You now have my body. Can you use it effectively, I wonder?" Youko asked, sending his whip sailing towards the imposter. He felt a slight change in his weapon, as if it was altered using spirit energy. The whip had been shortened so it didn't reach his opponent and the thorns had been removed, as well. 

"It appears that you have met your match. You see, not only can I copy your appearance, but also your unique talents with plants and even your memories. I am basically 'you' in every sense of the word," YanaYouko said, mockingly. 

"It is easy to make such claims, but being able to back them up is another matter entirely. Let us test your skills of imitation," Youko challenged, picking two blades of grass as his feet. They grew into twin blades, long and sharp. 

YanaYouko copied his moves, creating two grass swords of his own. As if by some unseen signal, they raced towards each other, their blades clashing together as they met. They exchanged blow for blow, neither being able to land a hit. As hard as he tried, Youko could not break through the other's defenses and, not at his best when the fight began, was rapidly tiring. Suddenly, YanaYouko leapt forward in an almost desperate attack, leaving his side open. _Fool. That is something I would expect from Yuusuke. Apparently, you're not as similar to me as you claim,_ Youko thought, blocking YanaYouko's sword with one hand while bringing his other blade toward his opponent's unprotected side. Too late, he saw YanaYouko's other sword arc towards his neck. Thinking quickly, he concentrated his spirit energy on YanaYouko's sword, causing the blade to lose its sharp edge and stiffness. The grass bent as it reached his neck, brushing lightly against his skin as it passed. He was annoyed to discover YanaYouko had done the same to his sword. Leaping backwards, they both studied each other. 

"So, it seems that plants will not effectively work in this fight," Youko said, breaking the silence. "Although, I doubt your claim that you are a perfect replica of me. That last attack was something more befitting of the detective." 

"You misunderstood me. I know how your mind works, but that doesn't mean I have to do exactly what you would do. I have the option to react differently," YanaYouko replied, a cocky smile on his face. 

_If that is true, he has a distinct advantage in this fight. He can find out how I would react and use it against me, like he did in that last attack. This fight would have been over already if he were to use that to his advantage. He's stalling for something. The only question is, what?_

A strange sensation came over Youko, almost like a warm breeze passing through his mind. The feeling was not unpleasant and left Youko feeling complete, as if something had been missing and he hadn't even realized how much he needed it. He felt... relieved. 

Before Youko had time to ponder this, he heard a soft, confused, painfully familiar voice in his mind. _What's going on?_

_Welcome back, Suuichi,_ Kurama said, warmly. 

Youko swore, colorfully. Suuichi was once again in the body. That feeling of being relieved was when Suuichi re-entered the body, unharmed. Youko paused. _When Suuichi returned, I felt... relieved? No! It cannot be! I do not care for that human-- to care for something is to make one weak and vulnerable. I have been forced to lurk within the depths of his mind, unable to take control for fifteen years! If anything, I wish to destroy Suuichi Minamino!_

Youko's rage was building and his spirit energy reacted to his anger, lashing out at the person standing in front of him in the form of an energy attack. Yana Youko was caught off-guard and was thrown back, colliding into a tree. His now human body crumpled to the ground, unconscious. 

Glaring at his opponent in hatred, Youko quickly pulled a seed from his hair, tossing it on the ground at Yana's feet. Using his spirit energy to grow it, he directed the ojigi plant to attack the unconscious teen. He turned his back as the leaves descended on the impersonator, smiling as he heard his plant shriek in pain. _That should keep Genkai occupied while I deal with the other two._

Youko turned towards the other teens, his anger still boiling. His eyes landed on Kaito and his now empty hand. "Didn't I tell you," he began, softly, although there was a deadly edge in his voice, "that I would let you live if you kept Suuichi's soul?" Youko was pleased to see the ningen's eyes grow wide in fear as the kitsune stalked towards him. "You didn't do as I asked, so it is time to fulfill my promise. I believe I said there would be dire consequences, did I not?" 

Youko paused as Suuichi began a mental assault. _You can't kill them, Youko! They're human! Koenma-sama said we're not allowed to kill humans unless we are under Reikai orders, remember?!_

Youko used his rage to fight back, ruthlessly crushing Suuichi's assault. _I do as I please! I serve no one!_ he yelled, internally. Suuichi cried out in pain at the severity of the attack. 

Having quelled his human counterpart for the moment, Youko turned his attention back to the outside world. Reaching up with his left hand, he quickly withdrew a seed from his hair, growing it into a tangle of vines covered in long, sharp thorns. His eyes locked with Kaito's, the corners of the demon's lips curving upwards as the vines shot out, easily entangling the human in their grasp. 

"Have you ever heard of the Senshi Vine? It uses its needle-like thorns to drain the victim's blood from his body. This is a rather slow process, so the thorns are all tipped with an interesting poison that immobilizes your muscles and sometimes causes hallucinations, to prevent you from escaping. I am told that it is quite painful, but don't worry. Due to the intensity of the poison, you'll suffocate before very long. I'd say you have five more minutes left to live, at most," Youko explained, smiling maliciously. 

Kaito screamed in pain as the thorns stabbed into his body. He struggled, trying to pull the plants off, but the vines only curled around him tighter, forcing the thorns deeper into his flesh. He started hyperventilating in fear when he felt what he assumed was the poison beginning to take affect as an itching spread throughout his body. His limbs started to feel heavier and heavier as he lost control of more of his muscles until he fell to the ground. The itching became a burning that only continued to grow in intensity until he felt as if he were being burned alive. Screams of agony were torn from his throat, giving voice to his pain until his vocal cords were paralyzed. His labored breathing was all that could be heard and that, too, was getting weaker as his diaphragm struggled to draw air into his lungs. 

Youko watched, his expression that of amusement mixed with disappointment, as Kaito's glazed eyes rolled up and he passed out. "He'll be dead in another minute or two, although it is a pity I had to cut it short by using a plant like that. I would have liked to toy with him some more, but time is short," he remarked, his gaze sliding over to the blond human. 

Kiddo, seeing what was happening to Kaito, took an involuntary step back. Immediately, the plants on the ground around him came to life, shooting upwards and imprisoning him in a thorny cage. 

"Don't worry-- I have not forgotten about you," Youko said, smiling cruelly at Kiddo. 

"Rei Gun!" Genkai yelled, firing at the fox demon in front of her. She stood protectively in front of Yana; the charred remains of the ojigi plant lay scattered on the ground around her. 

Youko sensed the attack coming and jumped back, but not soon enough. The blast hit his left arm, incinerating the roots of the senshi vine that were holding Kaito. He disappeared, swallowed up in the smoke caused by the attack. 

A soft wind blew through the trees, clearing away the smoke and carrying Youko's voice to the humans, low and deadly. "I will not forget what happened here today." There was a glimpse of silver in the trees and then he was gone. 

~*~ 

A wolf demon, long scar marring the left side of his face, detached himself from the shadows where he had been watching the fight. _Your skills have not waned since we last fought, but they did little to aid you then and they will not help you now. I have waited seventeen years for this day to come. Your life will soon be mine,_ he thought, following silently after the kitsune. 

~*~ 

Youko fled the park, cradling his injured arm to his body while being careful to keep his spirit energy low enough to prevent Genkai from following him. It was unlikely that she would; but, in his current state, the kitsune could not defeat the old woman, so it was better to be safe than sorry. Youko put a hand to his head, wincing in irritation. _Suuichi, will you stop that?! You're going to get us both killed!_

Suuichi mentally attack the kitsune again. _No! This is my body and I want it back! You're going to get us in trouble and I am not through with my life yet! You lost any claim you had to life fifteen years ago, so quit trying to take over mine!_

Youko savagely countered, momentarily quelling Suuichi's resistance. _Baka ningen! What is it that you are fighting for? This life you lead is nothing! Do you enjoy masquerading as a normal human, trying to pretend that you are just like everyone else? Yet, even then, you stand out above the crowd. Suuichi Minamino, the perfect student, the high school genius. And then you use my skills, my powers, and become nothing more than a lap dog for that brat ruling Spirit World! Face it, everything you hold dear, I have given to you!_

_Not everything,_ Kurama interjected, quietly. 

_What do you mean?_ Youko demanded. A picture of Shiori flashed through his mind. His lips curled up into a predatory smile. _I see. The reason you're fighting me is because of that woman, isn't it? Yes, you were willing to throw our lives away to save her-- without her, you wouldn't have a reason to fight against me, anymore, would you?_

A thrill of fear ran through Suuichi. _No, please, leave her out of this--_ he began. 

_Oh, but she's already involved in this, little Suuichi. In fact, she was the reason you chose to stay after I had recovered a sufficient amount of energy to leave, wasn't she? Yes... Your feelings for that ningen make you weak. Just one little death and your world would crumble. I will break you, Suuichi Minamino... by killing Shiori._

**To Be Continued**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own _Yu Yu Hakusho_. 

**Chapter 4**

Realizing they could cover three times as much ground, Yuusuke decided that his group would split up and look for Youko. Hiei was standing on a tall building, trying to find the fox demon's aura. Feeling a strong surge of energy, he focused his Jagan Eye in that direction, looking for the source. It took him a few minutes to pinpoint it exactly and he was surprised by what he saw in his mind's eye. Two of Genkai's psychics were on the ground, either unconscious or dead, and Genkai herself looked more than a little worn. She appeared to be healing one of the humans on the ground. The ningen was covered in blood and the twisted remains of vines were smoldering on the ground near him. _Kaito,_ Hiei remembered, smiling at what the fox demon had done to the teenager. Still a little upset at losing his soul temporarily to the ningen, Hiei was delighted to see him hurt. _It's a pity Youko couldn't finish him before Genkai got a chance to heal him. He'll probably wake thinking it was only a nightmare. Very unfortunate, indeed,_ he thought. 

Regretfully leaving the scene behind, the koorime continued searching for Youko. Finding him without too much difficulty, Hiei was a little surprised at the state the kitsune was in. He was running away from Genkai and the others, cradling his left arm to his body. Although he wasn't stumbling over tree roots or rocks, he was definitely lacking his usual grace and speed. He looked exhausted. Hiei watched as the kitsune winced, putting a hand to his head, his expression a mixture of irritation and pain. The expression changed to a malevolent smile and Hiei abruptly realized he was missing an internal conversation. 

Hoping Youko was too preoccupied to notice, the koorime focused on the kitsune's mind, trying to inconspicuously force his way in. He heard Youko's voice echo in his mind. _ I will break you, Suuichi Minamino... by killing Shiori._

Hiei broke the connection, having found out what he needed to know. /Yuusuke, where are you?/ he asked telepathically. He could feel the human's surprise in his mind. 

/Hiei? Uh, I'm at Kurama's school. Why?/ 

Hiei shook his head. _Why does he think Youko would return to a human school?_ he wondered, briefly, running to meet the detective. /I found out where Youko is headed./ 

~*~ 

Youko paused as the house came into sight. The car in the driveway indicated that Shiori was home and the light in the backyard implied she was in the back. Youko smiled as he neared his victim. 

_Please, Youko-- I beg of you, leave Shiori alone! I will never fight against you again, you can return to Makai and do whatever you wish, just please-- don't harm my mother!_ Suuichi pleaded, desperately. 

Youko chuckled, his laughter dark and cruel. _You would willingly-- happily, even --give up your freedom, your very life, just so this woman can continue on with her meaningless existence? Pathetic,_ the kitsune said, scornfully. _Your emotions make you weak, Suuichi, and since we share the same body, that weakness extends to me as well. I have worked hard and eliminated all weaknesses-- or, at least, I thought I had. But don't worry; that is a mistake I intend to correct shortly._

Youko continued on, ignoring Suuichi as he walked along the side of the house. The backyard came into view, faintly lit by a single porch light. Shiori was on a ladder, replacing the bulb on the other side of the porch. She had her back to the fox demon. 

Youko staggered as Suuichi launched a vicious mental attack. _Leave her alone!_ Suuichi yelled. 

Youko fought back just as ruthlessly while his determined strides carried him over to the ladder. Sensing someone watching her, Shiori looked to the side, coming face to face with Youko. She gasped in surprise, dropping the light bulb. The delicate glass orb shattered when it hit the ground. Words failed her as she took in the amber eyes, fox ears and tail of the beautiful creature standing before her. Stunning as he was, there was a predatory look in his eye that caused her to shudder involuntarily. She didn't know what this creature of legends wanted with her, but she was relatively sure that she wasn't going to like it. 

Youko stared into her eyes, smelling her fear as clearly as he saw it in her eyes. He winced again as Suuichi's assaults continued to lash out across his mind. "Suuichi is a decent fighter, but he has one weakness that I intend to exploit-- a love for his human mother. After I kill you, he will have nothing left to fight for. It will be easy to destroy him," he said, flexing his claws menacingly. His words didn't quite have the desired affect. 

Shiori's eyes hardened and she returned Youko's glare without flinching. "Don't you dare harm my boy!" she said, her voice threatening. 

Suuichi pummeled Youko's mind almost frantically, desperately trying to save his mother. _She has done nothing to you-- **I WILL NOT LET YOU HARM HER!!!**_

Youko was barely able to counter Suuichi's strikes, trying to understand why the humans were acting this way. It just didn't make sense. _Emotions make you vulnerable. Caring for someone is a weakness that can and will destroy you. This has been proven, time and again. Why, then, are Suuichi's attacks stronger than I've ever felt before? I can barely withstand them! And Shiori! She screams and jumps on a chair when she sees a mouse, but she's not even flinching when faced with a demon such as I. I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not!_ Youko thought, incredulously, staring at Shiori in something akin to disbelief. 

She continued to hold his glaze, unblinking. "I don't care what you do with me, but Suuichi is of no concern of yours. I'm asking you, please-- do not harm Suuichi!" 

Youko closed his eyes, smiling slightly. _I see. They each fear for the other's safety and that fear gives them strength and courage that they don't usually possess._

Suuichi paused in his attack, feeling a change in his demon counterpart. 

_Do you understand now?_ Kurama asked. 

Youko opened his eyes, looking back at Shiori. "Perhaps I was wrong," he said, relinquishing control back to Kurama. 

Kurama-- now in control of the body although he was still in his demon form --reached up to remove a seed from his hair. _I'm going to use dream flower pollen, to erase her memory,_ he said, pulling the seed from his hair. Suuichi didn't object, so he started to grow it when he realized a demon was quickly approaching them. Replacing the seed in his hair, Kurama stood protectively in front of Shiori as a wolf demon came into view. He had a long scar on the left side of his face and was playing with a slender leaf on a cord around his neck. 

"We meet again, Youko Kurama." 

Kurama searched his memory, but came up with a blank. "Should I recognize you?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest. It was obvious this was only a low level demon, but the fight with Genkai and her psychics, as well as the repeated mental battles between Suuichi and Youko, had taken their toll. Kurama was exhausted and he wasn't sure if he could win this fight. 

Shiori looked back and forth between the two demons, not sure what was going on. Hoping this was just some twisted nightmare, she decided to see how it played out, watching from her perch on the ladder. 

The wolf demon spoke again. "It is no surprise that you don't remember me, seeing as you thought I was dead after our last encounter. It was actually one of the last places you robbed in the Makai. You had come to steal from my personal treasury. You were able to plow through my guards easily, and we fought. You managed to give me this scar," the demon gestured to his cheek, "and, after a long, hard battle, I am loathe to admit that you did win. You stabbed your blade through my heart, pinning me to the floor. You left me for dead, and I should have died, but your sword had an interesting affect on me. Had it been a metal sword, I have no doubt my life would have ended that night. However, you can't help but rely on your plants for your weapons." 

The wolf demon smiled, holding up the leaf around his neck. "This was the blade meant to kill me. It should have ended my life, but it healed me, instead. Your plants have no affect on me-- this will be the end of you!" 

As he began powering up an energy blast, Kurama jumped to the side, hoping to draw the battle away from Shiori. The wolf demon didn't so much as look at the woman, firing at Kurama. The kitsune dodged every attack, landing lightly on his feet and smiling superiorly. "You'll have to do better than that to defeat me," Kurama said, desperately trying to control his breathing. His fatigue was difficult to hide and he knew he wouldn't be able to dodge many more attacks. He hoped to anger the demon enough to make a mistake. 

Kurama continued smiling as the demon glared at him. Glancing down at the leaf around the wolf demon's neck, Kurama recognized it as aceras. The kitsune thought back to the only time he had used aceras in battle and began to laugh, quietly at first, but gradually growing in volume. 

The wolf demon narrowed his eyes in anger. "What's so funny?!" he demanded. 

"I remember our fight, although I would hardly qualify the two strikes it took to defeat you as a 'long and hard battle,' as you so dramatically put it," he explained, still chuckling softly. 

"So what! The point is, you can't hurt me with your plants! I'm immune to them! And since you don't use anything but plants, you can't beat me!" he yelled, grinning triumphantly. 

Kurama continued to laugh. "I think you should know that our 'fight,' and I'm using that term very loosely, was the only time I ever used an aceras plant in battle. I hadn't had time to study it before the heist, so I was unaware of its remarkable attributes." 

"What do you mean," the wolf demon asked, a little worried by Kurama's still laughing tone. 

"What I mean, is that it wasn't until later that I discovered the aceras plant has astonishing healing properties, which is the reason you are standing here today." 

"You're just trying to trick me! If I'm not invulnerable to your plants, then why don't you try and attack me with them! Or is the little kitsune scared of the big bad wolf demon?" he challenged, throwing several energy blasts at Kurama. 

_I'm surrounded by morons. I would love to let one of my plants devour him, but I'm not sure if I have sufficient energy to control it once it has been grown. However, if I don't do something fast, it won't matter anymore,_ Kurama thought, narrowly avoiding another blast. His blood ran cold as he heard a woman's scream from behind him. 

Spinning on his heel, Kurama fearfully looked behind him. The ladder that had been supporting Shiori was in pieces and the human was on the ground a few feet away. She wasn't moving. 

_**MOTHER!!!**_ Suuichi screamed. 

Kurama cried out in pain, falling to his knees as the wolf demon took advantage of his distraction and hit him in the back with an energy blast. 

"The great Youko Kurama, allowing himself to be distracted by the death of a human. You really have gotten weak since I saw you last," his opponent sneered. 

Kurama forced himself to his feet, turning to face the demon. His amber eyes glared at the wolf, the anger and hatred in his gaze causing the weaker demon to take an involuntary step back before he realized what he was doing. When Kurama spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper, his low voice betraying nothing of the emotions inside him. "You may believe I'm not as strong as before, but I have acquired priorities to protect." Kurama glanced at his fallen mother out of the corner of his eye. "I would be glad to show you what those new priorities can make me do." 

With Youko's cold, calculating mind and Suuichi's rage induced power boost, Kurama was once again in control of this fight. Pulling a seed from his hair, he grew it in his hand, red branches shooting out in every direction, some wrapping around his arm while the others stretched forward, trying to reach the wolf demon in front of him. "Each branch has a mouth, and each mouth on the branch is filled with saliva that can melt your bones in under a minute, though the pain will make every second seem like an eternity to you." 

The wolf demon blanched, his eyes widening in fear as Kurama approached him. Noticing this, the kitsune smiled, maliciously. "What is the matter? I thought you believed yourself to be immune to my plants. Or, have you realized that the death tree is actually dangerous, whereas the aceras was not?" 

Not giving the wolf time to respond or even react, Kurama relaxed his restraints, allowing the death tree to attack. 

As soon as the demon's body had been devoured, Kurama changed the death tree back into a seed, replacing it in his hair. He wasted no time in rushing to Shiori's side, relieved beyond measure to discover she had only hit her head when she fell. 

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kurama quickly directed all the plant life to return to how it was before. He rearranged the dirt that had been displaced by the fight, re-growing the grass over it, and re-grew all the flowers in the flowerbeds. The ladder was irreparable, so he took the seed of an oak tree, growing the branches in the form of a ladder, smooth and bereft of any bark. He would have to replace it before his mother noticed the difference, but it would do for now. He worked quickly, trying to erase all evidence of abnormal events before Shiori woke up. 

He finished re-forming the yard and surveyed his work, looking for any misplaced plant that could give him away. He was shaking from exhaustion, and acutely felt the loss of his energy. He turned, hearing a soft moan from his mother. Shifting back into his human form, Kurama knelt beside Shiori, lifting her head onto his lap. She opened her eyes, gazing around, blurrily, finally landing on Kurama's face. "How do you feel, mother?" he asked, quietly so as to not irritate the headache she undoubtedly had. 

She blinked, trying to remember what had happened. It all came back to her in a rush and she grabbed Suuichi's left arm, her eyes widening. "Suuichi! You have to get away from here-- there's some sort of demon after you!" 

Kurama bit his lip to keep from crying out at the pain caused by her tight grip on his injured arm. He managed to smile, reassuringly. "Mother, that's nonsense. You fell off the ladder and hit your head while you were trying to replace that broken light bulb. You know there are no such things as demons," he said, soothingly, easing her hand off his arm. 

"Don't you see the yard--" she stopped, looking around the yard, remembering the destroyed scene in her mind. "But-- it was destroyed! I _saw_ it--" she began. 

Kurama shushed her, putting his finger to her lips. "It's all right, mother. It was just a dream. It's late and I think you need to get some rest," he said, helping her stand and guiding her inside. 

She allowed him to pull her to her room, putting a hand to her head. "It was so real..." she murmured. 

Kurama looked at the bump on her head. "It doesn't look too bad, but I'm sure it will be tender for a few days. I'll go get you something to help with the pain," he said, walking down to the kitchen. He supported himself by leaning against the wall as he walked, thankful Shiori was too preoccupied to notice his fatigue. 

Pouring a glass of water, he removed a seed from his hair. He grew it to a flower, leaning heavily against the counter, and sprinkled some of the pollen into the water. He replaced the seed in his hair, taking a few deep breaths before pushing off the counter and returning to his mother's room. 

"Here, drink this," he said, pushing the glass into her hands. 

She did as she was told, not noticing the odd taste in the water. Suddenly feeling tired, she lay back on her bed. "Suuichi?" she asked, fighting to remain conscious. 

"Yes, mother?" he replied, pulling the blanket over her. 

"I'm glad you're all right," she said, her eyes falling shut as she fell asleep. 

"I glad you're all right, as well, mother," Kurama whispered. He leaned forward, kissing her forehead before exiting the room. He stumbled in the hallway, stopping to lean against the wall until he could continue again. He entered the bathroom, using antibiotics and bandages to wrap his injured arm. Some of his plants would speed up the healing process, but he didn't have the energy needed to grow them. After he had finished, he staggered back out into the hallway, thankful his room wasn't that far from the bathroom. At last making it to his room, Kurama collapsed on his bed, sighing contentedly as he was finally able to surrender himself to the darkness. 

**To Be Continued**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own _Yu Yu Hakusho_. 

**Chapter 5**

Yuusuke ran as fast as he could through the darkened city streets, hoping he would reach his destination before it was too late. "Hiei, if you heard Youko say he was going to kill Shiori, why didn't you stop him? We may already be too late!" Yuusuke panted, as Kurama's house came into view. 

His companion flitted through the trees above him, easily keeping up with the human teenager. Hiei jumped down, landing beside Yuusuke as he stopped in front of the house. "I'm not suicidal, Detective. That's why I brought you," he said, walking towards the dark building. 

"Hey!" Yuusuke began, but the koorime interrupted him. 

"Both Kurama and Shiori are inside," he stated, his Jagan Eye glowing eerily in the darkness. 

Yuusuke studied the house, intently. "None of the lights are on, and Kurama must not be using his plants because I can't feel his energy. Let's go inside and see what's going on," he said, trying the front door. It wasn't locked, so they let themselves inside. 

Hiei led the way to Kurama's room, indicating that's where the fox was. Preparing himself to come face to face with an angry Youko, Yuusuke opened the door and stepped inside. He stopped, staring in disbelief. Kurama, back in his human form, was sprawled out on his bed, fast asleep. 

_Uh, did I miss something here? Grandma said that Kaito had Suuichi's soul and Youko was running rampant._ Yuusuke looked at Hiei, but the fire demon ignored him, staring at Kurama, his expression unidentifiable. _Hiei said Youko was going to kill Shiori, but here we find Kurama sleeping peacefully, as if nothing was wrong. Doesn't he know everyone is out looking for him?!_ Becoming angry at the lack of answers, Yuusuke stormed across the room towards the bed. "All right, Kurama, I want answers, and I want them now!" he said, reaching to grab the sleeping teen's shoulder. 

Hiei leapt out of the way, his speed barely saving him from the vines that shot through the open window. Yuusuke had no such luck, the vines wrapping around and immobilizing him. 

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it isn't wise to wake a sleeping fox? It is fortunate for you that I am as tired as I am. Otherwise you would have been fighting against an ojigi plant, as opposed to the Boston ivy that holds you currently. I'm sure you remember my ojigi? Karasu had such a wonderful time playing with it," came a tired voice from the bed. 

_You know, I think we might have enough energy to summon an ojigi,_ Youko snarled. 

_Youko, I don't think you should summon an ojigi,_ Suuichi interjected. 

_Suuichi, don't start--_ Youko began. 

_Calm down. I'm just as tired and angry about being woken up as you are. I was merely going to suggest that if you want to summon a demonic plant, you should grow a death tree. We'll get in trouble for attacking Yuusuke either way, so we might as well make it worth it being arrested for,_ Suuichi explained. 

Kurama smiled. _Unfortunately, the death tree would probably go after Hiei, who would undoubtedly counter with the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. I think we would all agree that our house is better in one piece. An ojigi could be directed solely at Yuusuke, but again, his rei gun would also destroy the house. Not to mention that both attacks would wake mother,_ he said, using his spirit energy to secure the vines around Yuusuke. 

_Pity,_ Youko and Suuichi chorused. 

Hiei chuckled softly at the sight of the detective dangling from Kurama's ceiling, but Yuusuke was not amused. "Let me go! I've been out scouring this city for your sorry butt for the last several hours, and I want answers!" 

"Yuusuke, I am tired. I will answer your questions in the morning," Kurama replied, still not moving from the bed. There was a soft rustle of cloth and Kurama raised his head, looking at Hiei. 

Feeling the kitsune's gaze, the fire demon jumped to the window sill, silently telling Kurama that he would be happy to wait until morning for any explanations. 

Kurama sighed, letting his head fall back on his pillow. 

"Kurama! You can't leave me hanging here all night!" Yuusuke practically yelled. 

The kitsune scowled in irritation, not even bothering to open his eyes. "You're right-- with all that yelling, you'll wake mother." The plants shifted, growing a few extra vines around Yuusuke's mouth, effectively gagging him. Kurama rolled over, intent on going back to sleep. 

Yuusuke looked to Hiei for assistance, but the window sill was empty. Kurama was very tired and the fire demon didn't want to risk sharing Yuusuke's fate should his laughter disturb the tired kitsune. 

~*~ 

Kurama woke the next morning, feeling refreshed. He stood, stretching, and opened his eyes. Yuusuke was still entangled in the ivy, the vines muffling his snores. Kurama put a hand to his mouth. "Oops." 

~*~ 

"Yuusuke!" 

The teenager gave a muffled response, rolling over and trying to go back to sleep. 

"Yuusuke, get up!" 

"Lemme 'lone," he muttered, burying himself deeper in the spongy bed. _Wait a minute-- spongy?!_ he thought, bolting upright, all thoughts of sleep banished from his mind. He was lying on several large leaves on the floor of Kurama's room. He looked up to find an angry Botan glaring down at him. 

"I've been out looking for you all night and I find you having a sleepover at Kurama's! Did you forget that you have a job to be doing?!" Botan seethed, looking like she wanted nothing more than to forcefully introduce her oar to the side of Yuusuke's head. 

The detective raised his hands to placate her temper. "It's not my fault! I didn't ask to stay-- hey, wait a minute-- how did you find me?" he asked. 

"Koenma was worried when you didn't answer your communicator, and sent me to find you. I ran across Hiei a little while ago and he informed me that the problem with Kurama has been resolved, but just started laughing when I asked about you. After I pestered him enough, he suggested I look here. Hiei laughing is never a good thing, so I hurried over here as fast as I could and what do I find?! You, sound asleep, as if you haven't a care in the world! I'm not sure who I should be more mad at-- you for disappearing and making me search all night, or Hiei for playing such a nasty trick on me!" Botan closed her eyes, calming herself before she continued. "Anyway, I called Koenma and told him what was going on and he wants everyone to come to a meeting after school, to discuss your new assignment." 

"After school, huh?" Yuusuke looked at Kurama's alarm clock on the table by his bed. _It's 11:37 right now-- Botan said she was out looking for me all night? So that means she didn't get any sleep last night. No wonder she's so grumpy,_ he thought. "All right, I'll be there," Yuusuke said, heading towards the door. A note with his name on it caught his attention, and he picked it up. It was written in Kurama's flowing script. 

_"Yuusuke, my mother is still home and she is unaware of your presence. Leave through the window."_

Not wanting to get on the fox's bad side, Yuusuke turned back to Botan, who was mounting her oar and preparing to exit via the window. "Hey, Botan-- could I have a ride home?" 

~*~ 

Kurama sat in class, partially listening to what the teacher was droning on about. He had been surprised to see Kaito in school without a mark on him, until he remembered Genkai had remarkable healing abilities. He supposed it was good, actually, as he wasn't supposed to kill humans. Kaito's actions indicated that he remembered some, if not all, of what took place the night before. He glared at the redhead every time they passed each other in the halls and seemed to generally hate the kitsune. Kurama wasn't too worried about it, as he rarely interacted with Kaito anyway and the psychic had every right to hate him. After all, Youko had been slowly killing him and would have succeeded had Genkai not intervened. 

Kurama's musings were cut short as a piercing whistle nearly deafened his ear drums. He gasped at the unexpected pain, crushing his hands over his ears in a futile attempt to muffle the sound. _I recognize that noise,_ he thought, glancing towards the window. He could barely see Botan's head peeking up in the lower corner. She motioned for him to come outside before disappearing from view. 

Turning back to the front of the class, Kurama noticed the teacher was standing in front of his desk. "Is something wrong, Minamino?" he asked, looking down at the redhead in concern. 

Kurama managed a smile. "I'm sorry, sensei. I just... have a headache," he said, lowering his hands. 

"Do you need to go to the nurse?" 

"Actually, I think I will," Kurama replied, rising from his seat. Exiting the classroom, he walked outside and found Botan waiting behind one of the buildings. "Was it necessary to use the Mystic Whistle to get my attention? You could have just sent a note from the office," he said, rubbing his ear. 

"Oops. Sorry about that. Anyway, Koenma wants to have a meeting with everyone after school," she said. "I'll pick you up in the park around 4:00, all right?" 

"Very well. I'll be there," he replied. 

Botan flew off on her oar while Kurama turned and headed back to class. He stopped when Kaito stepped out in front of him. "May I help you, Kaito?" Kurama asked, neutrally. 

Kaito looked at him, disdainfully. "So, Suuichi. That's how you managed to achieve superior grades to mine." 

"I'm afraid I don't follow you. Could you elaborate?" Kurama asked, a little confused. 

"The way you used that vine to get the key from Yana's pocket without him even knowing it-- you have quite a talent with plants. I assume it was a simple matter to relieve the teachers of their answer sheets, copy them down and replace them, wasn't it?" he asked, scornfully. 

Kurama's eyes hardened. "Are you accusing me of cheating?" he asked, his voice cold. 

"It makes sense. You've missed quite a bit of school, yet you receive perfect scores on all your tests. And Genkai told us about that _thing_ you turned into last night. The legendary thief, was it?" 

"I do not cheat," he replied, the anger apparent in his voice. "I have gained more knowledge than you will ever attain in your pathetic existence. Also, that _thing_, as you so insultingly put it, happens to be a part of me. It is upon very dangerous ground that you tread, Kaito. Do not provoke me." 

"Is that a threat, Suuichi? What can you possibly do to me?" he asked, forming his territory around himself. 

The kitsune smirked as he felt Kaito's territory extend to include him inside its boundaries. "You believe your territory will save you? You are practically daring me to attack," the fox said, his voice becoming lower. The weeds growing along the wall shot out, quickly but gently encircling Kaito in an almost loving embrace, pinning him against the wall. The psychic struggled uselessly against his bonds. 

"Perhaps you would like to continue where we left off last night?" 

Kaito, recognizing the voice from last night, turned wide eyes to his classmate. The plant Kurama was holding in his hand caused Kaito's heart to race while his breaths came in short gasps. _No! It was just a dream! I was afraid when the demon threatened me after our game, and I had a nightmare! It can't have been real-- I don't have a mark on me! Besides, the demon is gone! The only reason he was able to take control was because I removed Suuichi's soul from the body! He can't come out as long as Suuichi is still there!_ he thought, desperately trying to quell the unreasonable fear that consumed him at the sight of the thorny vine. 

Kurama smiled slightly, allowing a fang to show, while he stroked the senshi vine in his hand affectionately. His hair was streaked with silver and his green eyes seemed to have a golden sheen. "I admit, I have been rather lax in feeding my demonic plants since coming to Ningenkai. More than a few of them are eager to taste your blood, especially this one, since it didn't get to finish its meal last night. They tell me human blood has such a sweet taste." 

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. The weeds released Kaito while Kurama un-grew the senshi vine, replacing the seed in his red hair. "It would seem that luck is on your side. Your life has been spared-- for now," he said, quietly, as a group of girls rounded the corner behind them. 

Kaito used the opportunity to beat a hasty retreat, revising his opinion of what his classmate was capable of. Youko's voice echoed in his mind. 

/Face it, human-- you will always be second best when compared to me. Genkai was able to save your miserable life last night, but next time there will be no interruptions. Choose your words carefully from now on, Kaito-- they may be your last./ 

Kaito glanced over his shoulder, looking back at Kurama. Golden eyes glared at him from underneath a mane of red hair. Not wishing to tempt fate any more today, Kaito quickly disappeared around the corner and out of sight. 

Kurama watched him go. Smiling, he turned and walked back in the other direction. 

_Was that really necessary?_ Suuichi asked. 

_Suuichi, you know that little vermin upset you just as much as he upset me,_ Youko countered. 

_Yes, but if Koenma finds out about this--_

_Do not worry, Suuichi,_ Kurama interjected. _He will not tell anyone for fear of retaliation, but it would make no difference. I did not harm him._

_True enough, I suppose,_ Suuichi conceded. 

_Really, Suuichi, you should learn to trust yourself a little more. Would Kurama do anything to get us in trouble?_ Youko asked. 

_I do trust myself, Youko. However, Kurama is half demon and they aren't the most reliable of creatures._

Youko laughed. _You worry too much._

~*~ 

Kurama sat in Koenma's office, waiting for the others to arrive. Koenma himself was stamping each sheet of his never-ending stack of papers, muttering to himself. Hiei was leaning against the wall behind Kurama, gazing out the open window. Yuusuke could be heard in the hallway, complaining loudly as he and Kuwabara entered the office. Yuusuke's voice stopped abruptly as his eyes landed on Kurama and he silently stood against the opposite wall, shooting glances at the fox. He remembered Kurama's threat of facing an ojigi plant the previous night and hoped the fox was in a better mood today. 

The kitsune couldn't help but notice a potted fern just to the left of the nervous detective. Yuusuke yelped in surprise as the fern brushed against the back of his arm, instantly jumping away from the wall and firing his rei gun. Everyone in the room blinked at the smoking remains of the fern. 

Hiei chuckled from his spot by the window, having felt Kurama's energy and figured out what had happened. Yuusuke glared at Kurama. The fox returned his gaze, an innocent look on his face, as if to say, 'It wasn't me-- the window's open. There must have been a breeze.' Botan and Kuwabara looked confused, while Koenma was about to burst a vein. 

"Yuusuke--" he began. 

"Keep your diaper on. It was just a plant, you can get another one," he said, still glaring at Kurama. He did not appreciate the joke. 

"As it so happens, that fern was the last one in existence! Not even Kurama has one!" Koenma yelled, almost losing his pacifier. 

_Pity you believe that. I would have replaced it, had you asked,_ Kurama thought, bringing a hand up to cover his smile. 

Koenma took a deep breath, calming himself, before turning to the fox. "Exactly what happened to you last night?" he asked. 

The kitsune paused before answering. "It is... complicated. However, it has been taken care of." 

"I lost sight of you on my screen after you left the house, you attacked Genkai, Yana and Kiddo and you almost _killed_ Kaito! Yuusuke was missing most of last night and today and all of Reikai was in an uproar! I'm trying to decide whether to have you arrested or not, and all you can say is it's been taken care of?!" Koenma yelled. 

Hiei looked up, considering something. /Kurama, when I was defeated by Yuusuke, you bound your fate to mine as a condition for my freedom. Does it work both ways? Will I be thrown in jail with you?/ he asked, curiously. 

/I'm not sure. That issue was never addressed,/ the kitsune answered. "I can assure you that it won't happen again," Kurama said, never breaking eye contact with Koenma. 

The child looked away first, realizing there was no way he'd could get any more information out of Kurama. "Yes, well, see that it doesn't," he said, straightening the papers on his desk. "Now, for the reason I've called you all here. I have a new mission for you..." 

**The End**


End file.
